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I don't think it is lower class but there's nothing about it which excites me.

There aren't many where I live, but I do prefer Bethan.

I love the name Bethany. It is a bit too soft sounding for me to consider personally, but I think it is beautiful. My best friend and her fiance have the combo Bethany Mae picked out for their first daughter so I am excited that it will most likely be used by someone I love sometime in the near future.

Makes me think of a nerdy book-worm girl. I also dislike the name 'Beth' and it's baked right in there.
That's my impression, but if you love the name, don't even consider what names are associated with 'lower-class' parents. Shouldn't matter at all!

I never had the impression thatit was associated with lower-class parents; it's always seemed more middle-class/average to me. It seems to be on the verge of classic-ness, but not quite there yet.
I never used to like it because I knew a mean Bethany in school, but I'm sort of warming up to it. I know two Bethanys, one is Bethany and one is Beth.

I like Bethany. I think it's a nice name. I don't see it as lower-class, though.

This message was edited 5/22/2011, 1:48 PM

I think it's really pretty. I've always loved it.

I like it. I don't associate it with lower class parents; I've known 3 & all were middle class.

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It used to be on my favorites list for a short while but dropped off due to my sister's former friend Bethany. It feels a little plain & dull to me but it is a sweet name & never was super popular. Plus you could use the nickname Beth, which I adore. I think I like Beth better than Bethany & mostly like Bethany for the nickname.

I didn't know it was associated with lower-class parents. I just always found it to be whiney. Sorry.

It's a nice name. I like the sound and appearance of it. I don't associate it with lower-class parents, it has a middle-class feel to me. It did become very popular for a while but that seems to be tailing off a bit now I think. It's good as well because it's easy to abbreviate, you could use Beth as a nickname.

I think it's pretty, and I really like Beth as a possible nickname for it. The only thing that turns me off of it ever so slightly is that it seems a bit 80s/early 90s because it's similar to Brittany. I find it much more beautiful than Brittany, though. Bethany is softer and lacks the Brit- part of Brittany that strikes me as bratty sounding.

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As for class, I've never associated Bethany with lower-class parents. It seems middle class to me. This is probably because the only Bethanys I've known have been middle class. To me, it has a similar feel to names chosen by everyday parents, such as Amy, Holly, Natalie, and Emily.

I like it, I don't see the association with low-class parents. I think it is a very pretty name,

Really? I think Bethany has something very sophisticated about it. Possibly because the two Bethanys I've known best were sophisticated (and very nice and wonderful) people. So I have a good impression of it because of them, and I think it's a really sweet name.